Scuttlebutt News:

Chris Bedford: Valencia wind conditions in February

An America’s Cup held off Valencia during the month of February will take place in conditions much more variable generally lighter than those experienced during the Challenger Series (which began Apr. 16) and the America’s Cup match (held June 24-July 3) in 2007. Additionally, rather than sailing just a few miles from the shore, the Deed of Gift courses are longer and may require sailing some considerable distance away from the shore, bringing some new weather and tactical challenges to the event.

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Unintended (Bad) Consequences

It is always sad when organisers have to cancel events for financial reasons. Whilst it may be considered a ‘sign of the times’, there are a lot of knock-ons from just one event falling by the wayside.

It is a huge let-down to the people who put in a lot of effort behind the scenes in order to stage an event, as well as the race officials, and where sponsors pull out the club’s reputation is affected. However, the sailors themselves can often be the hardest hit.

Recently, New Zealand’s young, up-and-coming, Waka Racing match racing team, led by Phil Robertson, who, as PanamaJack Racing won the Warren Jones regatta in Perth last year – a noted springboard event for match racers – travelled to Europe and won a qualifier event in Rimini, Italy. This gave them entry to a higher grade match race event in Rimini. The Grade 2 event for which they had qualified has now been cancelled – along with another event in Portugal for which they had a confirmed entry.

Cancellation of match racing events not only denies particularly young sailors a chance to practice more of their art and establish their reputations in the sport, but also means that they do not have the opportunity to earn valuable points to enhance their ranking level, and so move up the ISAF ladder.

There is also a financial knock-on, as event organisers usually provide accommodation for participants, so cancellation means that sailors away from home, such as Waka Racing who have trained hard and then travelled to the other end of the world to compete, have the additional cost of funding their own accommodation for the duration of what would have been the sailing event. — Anne Hinton in SailRaceWin…

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Phil Robertson’s (RNZYS) WAKA Racing team with their cup and other prizes from their victory in match racing in Rimini, Italy, a few weeks’ ago. Image courtesy WAKA Racing

World Yacht Racing Forum Talks to Paul Strzelecki.

May 19, 2009 by admin
Filed under Business, United Kingdom

The lastest World Yacht Racing Forum Newsletter has some great stories for anyone interested in the business of yacht racing including Paul Strzelecki, Henri Lloyd’s CEO, talking about Henri Lloyds partnership with Brawn F1.  Remember that the clothing sponsorship was announced before the season and before Brawn started winning races. We think that this is one of the best value deals in sponsorship this year. The price-tag for Brawn F1 sponsorship deals has increased significantly.

WYRF: What was your strategic objective when you decided to sign with a Formula 1 team?
Paul Strzelecki: “We are always looking to broaden the reach of our brand and to emphasise our technical and innovative expertise. Like we have done for many years in major sailing events like the America’s Cup, Volvo Ocean Race, Vendee Globe etc.”

WYRF: Would you ever have dreamed of getting such results?
Paul Strzelecki: “I have been a Formula 1 fan all my life dating back to Jim Clark and Lotus in the sixties. I have followed the career of Ross Brawn and therefore knew that the team would be good. But honestly no I didn’t think that the start would be so great winning 4 out of 5 races. Its really amazing and created a lot of extra interest in F1. The team are really great to work with- we have the same committment to excellence and getting things right first time so the fit is right for both Henri Lloyd and BrawnGP.”

WYRF: Has it already paid off in terms of sales?
Paul Strzelecki: Yes although it is still early days. Its proving hard to keep up with demand.

WYRF: And brand awareness?
Paul Strzelecki: “We already have extensive international business and have recently opened stores in the Middle East and Russia to add to our retail presence in Europe,Japan, Australia and the USA. So this really helps increase our brand exposure.”

More great business stories including America’s Cup veterans Sébastien Col (FRA, K-Challenge) and Paolo Cian (ITA, Shosholoza), multihull pro sailor Cam Lewis (USA), and yachting journalists Tim Jeffery (UK) and Loic Le Bras (FRA) what effect they think this will have on the yacht racing industry as a whole.

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Cam Lewis, Lo

Will the DoG [Deed of Gift] match be an

exceptional moment in the history of yacht

racing or a boring, one-sided regatta?

BMW ORACLE Racing 90 (c) Gilles Martin-Raget / BMW ORACLE Racing – All Rights Reserved
Tim Jeffery: Both! There will be a ghoulish fascination in marvelling at two fabulous, fascinating, fast and frightening yachts trying to knock each other out. But unless something goes Twang!, a small speed advantage will be amplified into a big gap. And big gaps don’t make exciting contests. The DoG courses (a long windward / leeward or a triangle) will discourage too much cornering.

Cam Lewis: “I am an enthusiastic multihull racer and fan; also I was the grinder in 1988 on the Stars and Stripes catamaran. Was this 2 out of 3 series boring? Well, after 5 minutes sure it was to those watching, yet we onboard had tuned up one of the coolest sailboats to ever race in any event.
So now you have a challenging team that has shown most of its cards, a wicked big and fast trimaran. The Swiss catamaran (my best guess) will look something like a scaled up D35ish sort of machine, with the 3rd hull for rig loads, headsail trim etc. So back to the question, it will be an exceptional match and an incredible moment in the history of yacht racing. It could end with a spectacular T bone in the 1st dial up with lots of blood and injuries or it could be a real thriller. Of course it might be a parade too! The good news is that the best of the best will be seen and there will be no LEAD involved, the heavy metal kind!

Loic Le Bras: “For sure it will be an exceptional event, and it will make history – no matter what people may think about the interest of such a match. There has never been a multihulls dual in the 150 years history of the America’s Cup. It will be historical for the America’s Cup and for the sport of sailing as a whole.

Paolo Cian: “The regatta will probably be boring; one monster will be faster than the other. But on the other hand this is a very special project, and the technology involved is fantastic. The interest will not be in the regatta itself, but in all the rest.”

Sébastien Col: “The regatta might be boring, but it will attract a lot of attention. The technology involved is extraordinary, and I believe that we will see new things that will perhaps be adapted to everyone’s sailing boat in the future. This is a positive point, and it was not the case anymore with the ACC rule.”

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Il Defender della 33a America’s Cup, la Société Nautique de Genève
(SNG), ha ricevuto oggi una sfida ufficiale dal Circolo Vela Gargnano
(CVG-GreenComm Challenge). L’imbarcazione dichiarata e di 90*90 piedi,
le stesse dimensioni della sfida alla 33a America’s Cup già presentata
dal Golden Gate / BMW Oracle.
SNG da il benvenuto alla sfida italiana. iL CVG era già stato uno dei
challenger della 32a America’s Cup ed è ben conosciuto nel mondo per
l’organizzazione della Centomiglia. Il Circolo ha ora presentato la
sfida sui multiscafi come quella del Golden Gate Yacht Club.
SNG e Alinghi hanno sempre sostenuto l’organizzazione di un evento
multichallenge e continuano a farlo. Nel corso del meeting del 23
Aprile, il Defender svizzero aveva chiesto al Challenger of Record
americano di aprire le regate dei challenger ad altri partecipanti.
SNG continua a sostenere una 33a America’s Cup con molti partecipanti
provenienti da diverse nazioni. Tuttavia la decisione di accettare o
meno la sfida italiana sui multiscafi è del Golden Gate Yacht Club e
di BMW Oracle Racing.

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Kleinjans romps home

After 23 days 07 hours 44 minutes and 55 seconds, solo sailor Michel Kleinjans crossed the Charleston finish line of Leg 4 in the Portimão Global Ocean Race on board damaged Open 40 Roaring Forty late on Monday evening at 22:44:55 GMT (16:44:55 local).

For Kleinjans, the final hours of Leg 4 were among the most demanding of the entire 4,800 mile course from Ilhabela, Brazil, to the USA. On Saturday morning, Roaring Forty collided with a container ship approximately 210 miles east of Grand Bahama and although the Belgian solo sailor escaped injury, the boat was mortally stricken with damage to the hull-deck joint around the chainplates in addition to internal structural damage to the ballast tanks and the crucial forward bulkhead. With a cold front and strong winds forecast to block his route to the finish line 420 miles to the north, Kleinjans opted to head east, hoping to avoid the combined force of the northerly flowing Gulf Stream and predicted north-easterly wind gusting to 40 knots plus.

At 0900 GMT on Monday, Roaring Forty was at the same latitude as Charleston and Kleinjans opted to head west through the Gulf Stream to the finish line. “In the morning it was 30-35 knots, then in the afternoon it was 35-40 knots,” reported Kleinjans shortly after crossing the finish line. With remarkable nerve, the offshore sailing specialist maintained solid averages of just below ten knots for the breakneck ride across the Gulf Stream. “The boat was fine,” he added nonchalantly, dismissing the boat breaking conditions as though they were little more than a short, Saturday afternoon club race. Indeed, for the entire 4,800 mile leg, Roaring Forty was problem-free. “Sometimes the pilot would drop out,” recalls the Belgian solo sailor. “But it is just a matter of changing a couple of wires and a bit of soldering and I also tore my big spinnaker a week ago or so, but otherwise everything was OK.”

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Audi Medcup Wins For Matador And Islas Canarias Puerto Calero
A very modest trio of results across yesterday’s races proved a spur to the Matador (ARG) team to come out fighting today and score the best pair of scores in the TP52 fleet to win the City of Alicante Trophy today after a very close fought first regatta of the 2009 Audi MedCup Circuit. In the GP42 Series a final race win was also enough to clinch the overall honours for Islas Canarias Puerto Calero (ESP).

In 9-12 knots of sea breeze conditions and perfect early season Mediterranean sunshine the four leading protagonists Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL), Artemis (SWE), Matador and reigning champions Quantum Racing (USA) lined up side by side off the start line in the first race. Emirates Team New Zealand profited from good upwind speed and an excellent start to win the first race and earn a four points lead.

Just as in the GP42 Series only one single point in the TP52′s settled the regatta. Two points separated all three new 2009 TP52′s which monopolised the top positions from the defending champions Quantum Racing in fourth.

Seven different boats of the 12 strong fleet won races, only Emirates Team New Zealand and Matador won two apiece.

Meanwhile, from out of nowhere…
Just when the scorecard in the GP42 Series was taking on a familiar look, the extraordinary competitiveness of this class can turn things inside out. Going into the first of today’s two races, Roberto Monti’s (ITA) Airis, driven by Cameron Appleton (NZL), looked to have things well in hand with a three-point lead, good overall speed, and smooth teamwork.

But an average start and an environment that tactician Andrew Escourt (NZL) described as “brutal: you couldn’t buy a break” conspired to push Airis back into a 4th place finish, their worst yet of the series, while their rivals on Roma 2, driven by Paolo Cian (ITA), slid ahead into their third win and tying Airis on 16 points.

This now set up the 8th and final race for the series title to be a classic match race between these two Italian-based teams, with Cian and Appleton both being renowned match racers. It was Airis who got the jump and looked to extend their lead coming into the final run to the finish.

However, a poor spinnaker set, a dying and shifting breeze, and the pressure of Roma close behind them ready to jump on them when they gybed kept the Airis team from turning back towards the finish until it was too late.

Lurking only three points back in the standings, but next to last around the final mark, Daniel Calero’s (ESP) Islas Canarias Puerto Calero, driven by Jose Mar�a Ponce (ESP), gybed early into the pressure and set themselves up nicely for the 20 degree left shift in the wind.

So when the Italians met the remainder of the fleet just 200m from the finish they found themselves several lengths behind, with the young Canarias team crossing not only by a wide margin but with enough boats between them to win the GP42 Series by a single point.

Audi MedCup Circuit 2009
City of Alicante Trophy

TP52 Series
Overall results
1. Matador (ARG) 2,5,1,8,7,5,5,2,1=36 points
2. Artemis (SWE) 7,2,9,7,2,2,1,5,2=37 points
3. Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL) 4,4,6,2,1,3,10,1,7=38 points
4. Quantum Racing (USA) 5,1,3,4,5,6,7,3,6=40 points
5. Bigamist (POR) 3,12,5,5,9,1,4,4,3=46 points

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Emirates Team New Zealand gain the upper hand going into the TP52 finale

They promised to sail their own races, and they probably did but Emirates Team New Zealand emerged victors from Race 8, an exciting four way battle in modeate sea breeze conditions, to gain a clear three points lead going in to the final race of the City of Alicante Regatta.

The battle started just before the start gun as the leading four boats lined up on the grid alongside each other. Quantum Racing were slightly ahead from the gun  but Emirates Team Zealand were able to inch ahead with Matador also benefitting from their position on the left side. Emirates Team New Zealand lead Matador at the windward mark and were able to stay ahead to the finish.

Artemis rounded the windward mark in seventh and were able to pass Pisco Sour immediately, but their fifth place finish leaves them third, tied on points with fourth placed Matador.

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Plenty of breeze for the Flying 15, Fireball and Scorpion open at Chew Valley Lake
Photo © Mike Rice / www.fotoboat.com

Thirteen boats, six from the home club and seven visitors, arrived at Chew Valley Lake for the annual open meeting despite a dreadful weather forecast (for those who think weather forecasts are useless, read on).

Their arrival was greeted with a persistent force 5 to 6 wind gusting to force 8. Two elected not to remove the covers but ten started the first race with eight finishing. Simon Patterson and Simon Thompson used their weight advantage to good effect by establishing an early lead which was not challenged. David and Sally McKee were second. Behind them a close struggle between David and Catherine Brockbank and Mike Thompson and Simon Millington resulted in the Brockbanks winning by one second, close enough that Simon and Catherine could almost hold hands.

The second race was sailed in the windier conditions of the two with gusts of 49mph recorded. Patterson-Thompson and the McKees fought out the lead again but not so far ahead. A slight collision in the difficult conditions made Patterson and Thompson do two turns, giving the McKees the win. The planned third race was abandoned for the day as the conditions worsened and the competitors retired to the club to enjoy some Butcombe bitter from the local sponsoring brewery.

Sunday looked to be perfect first thing in the morning but the meteorologists were soon proved correct when the wind and the rain arrived.

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“NEWS FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CHANNEL”

BY JONNY MALBON

Skipper.

“Well it has been a very full on few weeks for all of us at Artemis Ocean Racing. Artemis 2 arrived back at the beginning of April and we managed to get her on the keel ahead of schedule. Gringo and Gareth have been doing a great job with the help of Simon (Lovely) to get the rig in, sails on, and in sailing mode once again. She is still very much in Vendée mode, and will undergo a refit shortly.

I have been busy down in Lorient getting to know the Figaro boat on which I will be competing this season. It is very exciting and feels like I am going back to school!! A lot to learn in a very short space of time, but I am relishing the challenge. I will update you further on that as things progress.

I managed to get back to the UK in time to take Artemis 2 down to Douarnenez with the boys for the Grand Prix Petite Navire. A great regatta which comprised of two days of speed courses, and then two days of racing around the beautiful Breton coastline. There were five Open 60’s there, Foncia, BT, BritAir, DCNS and Artemis 2, so quite a fleet. It was great to be racing again, against some tough competition.

The first day on the speed course was interesting – we posted some quick times and learnt a lot about the boat. We had some very experienced help on board as well in the form of Seb Audigane, JB Epron and Charles Darbyshire fresh from his tour around the globe on Musandam (formerly Ellen MacArthur’s world record breaking B&Q/ Castorama). Day 2 was a little more difficult for us and we felt sticky and slow, but still just great to be out sailing.

Next up were the two offshore races. We had great starts on both days and managed to get to the windward mark in first place on day 2! However we struggled a little on the downwind leg, but managed to fight back and claim a 4th. We were all very happy with the offshore races and the boat is certainly showing some potential which is encouraging. ”

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Volunteers Needed!

Hi All!

We are looking for any volunteers who have not attended a Job Specific Training session. We have vacancies in Spectator Services which will be based in the Race Village and Salthill where all the fun is to be had!

There are a few roles to be filled throughout the whole two weeks so get in touch if you have not already signed up.

Role Samples:
Marshaling,
Information points,
Crowd Control,

Interested?

volunteer@galwayvolvooceanrace.com

THE HANS HORREVOETS ROOKIE TROPHY

It has been three years to the day since Han Horrevoets was washed over the side of ABN AMRO TWO and lost his life during leg seven of the Volvo Ocean Race 2005-06, but memories of the popular Dutchman are still strong.

It is in recognition of Hans’ work in developing young sailing talent onboard ABN AMRO TWO, that the Volvo Ocean Race has launched the Hans Horrevoets Rookie Trophy. The award, decided by the race committee based on nominations by each of the skippers currently racing, will be presented in St Petersburg at the finish of the race, to a rookie sailor who was younger than 30 when the event commenced.

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Sensation owner has yacht impounded

By IBI Magazine

Creditors have followed Sensation Yachts owner Ivan Erceg to his home in France and have impounded his 50m (164ft) superyacht, Sensation, at a harbour in Marseille. Writs were attached to the yacht earlier this month, according to New Zealand press reports, preventing it from leaving the port. The yacht was built at Sensation Yachts’ Henderson yard in New Zealand and launched in 2007.

Erceg told the Sunday Star Times that the yacht was commissioned by his later brother, Michael Erceg. After Michael Erceg’s death in 2005, Erceg said he was compelled to complete it with his own resources.

Erceg said he is now trying to sell the yacht and his mansion on the Cote d’Azur, both of which are owned by his family trust. The yacht has an asking price of NZ$60m and the mansion was listed for sale at NZ$108m. Erceg said the sales would give him more than enough capital to rejuvenate his boatbuilding business. “At the moment my asset base is extreme but my liquidity is low. My personal debt to equity ratios are still very favourable so there’s no issues on that,” he told the paper.

Last month, Erceg lost an appeal involving three superyachts worth US$21.5m. Erceg had appealed a case that had been initiated by a company called Balenia, which had commissioned the three yachts in 2004. When the relationship broke down in 2007, Erceg agreed to buy the three partially completed yachts. In September, the High Court at Auckland ordered Erceg to pay the amount, but he appealed on whether Balenia had provided enough proof of clear title to the yachts. In April, the court agreed with Balenia and ordered Erceg to pay for the yachts.

In January, Sensation’s Hong Kong bank put Sensation’s Henderson base into a mortgagee sale after the bank foreclosed on it.

(18 May 2009)

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ERICSON 4 LEG SEVEN DAY 3 QFB:

received 18.05.09 1524 GMT

Hi!

Cold and foggy as usual in this area!

Yesterday was an interesting day with close racing between the five front runners, especially at Sable point, where current was quite strong and we had fishing pods everywhere!!

We were passing PUMA through to windward when we caught a couple of them that nearly stopped the boat, quite demanding trying to avoid them as they were so close to each other and some of them had long floating lines.  Once we caught them they go around the keel and you can see the buoy coming at full speed.  One of them jumped on our stern wake and nearly hit me while I was in the aftermost part of the cockpit looking how the buoy cleared around the rudder.  Fortunately, the other boats were dealing with the same problems and could see their bows going up and down trying to avoid them!

Luckily we were well clear of this area when the night came. It has been quite a radar game with the competition during the night and we did pretty well gaining a bit on the front boats. There is not to much left to the scoring gate so every meter counts!

We have been dealing with some weed that we have in the keel, nothing major but something that you want to get rid off.  It has been there for more than 24hours now, but if we decide to back down it will cost us too much so close to the gate.  Let’s see what we can do to get rid of it without slowing down.

This morning we identified a big object on the water.  Approaching we could see was the back of a whale that was probably sleeping as it dived slowly when we approached.  We only passed a couple of meters away and for me it was the closest we had been to one in this race so far.

Horacio Carabelli – trimmer

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This post is tagged Alicante, artemis, Audi Cup, Bigamist, bmw oracle, cameron appleton, DOG, Emirates Team New Zealand, Ericson, Flying Fifteen, Green Comm Challenge, Hans Horrevoets, IBI Magazine, Jonny Malbon, Loic Le Bras, Matador, Michel Kleinjans, Multihull, Panamajack, Paolo Cian, Paul Strzelecki, Phil Robertson, portimao, Quantam Racing, sailonline, scuttlebutt europe, Sebastien Col, stewart 34, tp52, volvo ocean race, Waiheke Radio, Waka Racing, westhaven marine brokers, world yacht racing forum, yachtyakka